Improvement in fifth-wheels for vehicles



W. W. GRIER & H. BARR.-` Fifth-Wheel for Vehicles.

No. 217,611. Patented Ju|y15,1s79.

NEETERS. PROTOMTNOGMPHLR. wASmNGTuN D C UNITED STATES PATENT OEEToE.

WILLIAM W. GRIER AND HORATIO BARR, OF PIULTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIFTH-WHEELS FOR VEHICLES.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 217,611, dated July 15, 1879; application filed June 5, 1879.

To all 'whom it may concern: I

Be it known that we, WILLIAM W. GRLER and HORATIQ BARR, of Hulten, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fifth-Wheels for Vehicles; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of our improved fifth-wheel. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross- 'section, showing its attachment to the headblock and axle. Fig. 3 is a bottom view, and Fig. 4 is a view of a modified form of our invention. l

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each figure.

Our invention relates to the construction oi iifth-wheels for vehicles; and consists, briefly stated, in, first, the combination of a saddlebrace, a king-bolt, and a yoke for each, the yoke of the king-bolt being encircled by and turning within the other; second, the combination of a saddle-brace, a clip king-bolt, and a yoke for each, the yoke of the king-bolt being encircled by and turning within the oth er 5 third, the combination of a clip king-bolt, a spring-hanger, and a yoke for the clip kingbolt circling within the hanger; and, fourth, in details of construction.

As principally illustrated, our invention is especially adapted for use with no-perch vehicles having springs running to and attached at the center of .the front axle 5 and we will therefore describe such form first.

The front axle of the vehicle is shown at a, and the head-block atb. Passing through the head-block and surrounding the axle is a clip king-bolt, c, which, at the lower end, is attached to a circular yoke, d, by means of nuts e, the arms c of the clip passing through suitable holes d* in the yoke d, and being threaded for the reception of the nuts. At its upper end the king-bolt is threaded and passes through a hole in saddle-brace f, and is there secured by a nut, g. The saddle-brace fincloses the headblock b and axle a. Secured to it by nuts h on its two ends is a yoke, t', having a circular opening, in which the king-bolt yoke d turns. The yoke d has a shoulder or ilange, dz, around lits lower edge, which lits in a corresponding recess in the lower side of the yoke i.

At two opposite sides of the yoke i are extensions I of the same, which, being provided lwith lugs m, suitably tapped, constitute means of attachment for hanging or fastening the forward ends of the center springs of the gear.

It is evident that the plate can easily be changed to form means for the attachment of a single center-spring. This adaptation constitutes this plate at once a saddle-brace yoke and a spring-han ger.

Between the head-block b and the axle a are placed the ordinary friction-plates 'n a', and between the axle a and the spring-bolt yoke d, and extending beyond the edges of the latter, is a thin circular metallic disk, o, which is designed to cover the working-edges of the two yokes d and i, and to prevent dirt and other extraneous matter from getting between them and interfering with their proper Working.

In putting our improved fifth-wheel in place, the king-bolt c is put on the axle a; the metallic disk o and king-bolt yoke d, with the yoke i between them, placed on the ends c of the bolt c,- the friction-plates placed on the head-block and front axle; the head-block put in place; and, lastly, the saddle-brace f, the parts all being secured together by the nuts mentioned.

The removal is a very simple operation. By unscrewing the live nuts g e e h h, all of which are exposed and accessible, the parts may be removed with ease and celerity. This is a very important advantage of our improved construction, as it is frequently necessary to remove or take the fth-wheel apart, and in all of the other constructions known to us this is not only difficult and tedious, but necessitates a removal of other parts of the gear. All wear and looseness can be taken up or compensated for by turning up the nuts.

Instead of using a clip king-bolt, We can use a straight one, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the portion passing through the axle being of square or other shape which will prevent turning, the upper part being round; or it may be of any desired practicable form. In this case the turn-plate d2 is used as an equivalent of the yoke d.

This fifth-wheel can be used equally Well other, substantially as andrfor the purposesl set forth.

2. The combination of a saddle-brace, a clip king-bolt, and a yoke for each, the yoke of the kin g-bolt being encircled by and turning Within the other, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination of a clip king-bolt, a spring-hanger, and a yoke for the clip kingbolt circling Within the hanger, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The c0mbination,witl1 a saddle-brace and kingbo1t,each having an independent yoke and one yoke circling Within the other, of a mud plate or cap covering and protecting the bearings of the yokes, substantially as specifled.

In testimony whereof We, the said WILLIAM W. GRIER and HoRATIo BARR, have hereunto setour hands.

WILLIAM W. GRIER. HORATIO BARR.

Witnesses J oIIN BURKE, JNO. K. SMITH. 

